Process for the reproduction of wood grains



Patented Aug. 4, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES 1'. HENRY, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE NATIONAL CASHRMIS'I'ER COMPANY, OF DAYTON, OHIO.

PROCESS FOR THE REPRODUCTION OF GRAINS.

No Drawing.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES P. HENRY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, haveinve'nted certain new and useful Improvements in Processes for theReproduction of Wood Grains, of which I declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved process wherebythe graining of woods may be reproduced on substances of other naturethan the wood, such as sheet steel or the likean the manufacture ofmetal furniture.

In view of the unsatisfactory results obtained by the now knownprocesses for the reproduction of wood grains and the like 1t is thepurpose of'the present invention to improve, not only the process ofreproduc- ,tion, 'but the products of such process thereby.

The new and improved process comprises the following steps:

In reproducing the grains of quartered oak, mahogany or any other woodshaving grain, which it is desired to imitate, a piece of wood of desiredgrain is first selected so that the reproduction will be as artistic aspossible. Having a board of selected gram the surface of the same ismade as nearly smooth as possible by the ordinary planing and sandingoperations and isthen given a stain. The pores of the wood will acceptthe greatest amount of the strain and thus become the darkest places inthe surface. The tone is gradually blended off to the high lights orhard spots in the surface of the wood. 4

The board thus prepared is then photographed, reproducing the grain inne ative' by the usual photographic process. mm the negative soobtalned, a positive is made, preferably on a photographic film or clearglass, which positive is also obtained by the ordinary photographicprocess.

Having obtained the positive'a print is made therefrom on a sensitizedphotogravure carbon tissue paper such as ordinarily employed in themtaglio process of printing. It has been found desirable to separate theetched areas to be later obtained and the use of screens as practiced inphotogravure is resorted to. After exposure in making the print on thecarbon tissue, the

Application filed November 8, 1916. Serial No. 120,205.

as the Rembrandt screen in the art of rotary photogravure. Any form ofscreen may be used such as straight line screens, wave line screens,etc., 'wit out departing from the spirit of the present process.

The purpose of the use of the screen, as above described, is to breakthe etched area into small recesses or cells, which vary in depthaccording to the shade to be reproduced, and are adapted to receivemasses or fields of pigment, as hereinafter described. This breaking upof the etched areas eliminates entirely the difficulties encountered inthe use of a wiper or doctor blade. \Vhen a wiper or doctor blade isused on a hand engraved or etched metal plate bearing a reproduction ofa long open grained piece of wood on which the etched or engraved areais not broken up, the doctor or wiper blade tends to draw out of theunbroken depression more than mere surface pigment, especially when thewiper blade is drawn over the plate in the direction of the grain. Thisresults in leaving in said unbroken depression an insuflicient amount ofpigment to give a faithful reproduction. With the present invention,however, the small cells into which the etched areas are broken upprevent the excessive withdrawal of the pi ment by the wiper blade whichcan then on y remove the surface stain and retains the proper amount ofstain which is calculated to give a faithful reproduction of the shadesand grain to be reproduced. The carbon tissue is then placed face downon a sheet of burnished metal plate, preferably copper. A cylinder mayreadily be used in place of the sheet of metal without departing fromthe spirit of the invention. The carbon tissues so prepared is firstallowed to soak in a solution of alcohol and water of equal parts tosoften the tissue which is then placed face down in contact with theplate to be etched and squeegeed in contact with the late.

1811 the tissue is exposed through the positive and screen, certainportions of the sensitized gelatin are hardened to form an insolubleresist for the etching operation.

When the tissue has been squeegeed in contact with the copper plate,warm water is employed to loosen the paper backing and to wash away thatart of the sensitized gelatin which is $0111 le leaving the deposlt ofinsoluble gelatin or resist on the face of the plate. Thus the image isproduced on the plate in gelatin hotogravure relief corresponding to thelights and shadesof the positive through which the light acted. lVherethe positive is densest the resist is thinnest and where the ositive wastransparent the resist is thic test. When this process of development iscompleted, the plate, with the resist, is allowed to dry thoroughly.

The edges and other surfaces of the plate which have not received adeposit of resist as above stated, are protected with a coat ofasphaltum preparatory to etching. The plate so prepared is then readyfor the etchmg operation. The etchin operation which it has been foundprefera le to employ, is the usual process of etching a copper plate.The usual mordant, ferric chloride, is used for the purpose of etching.It, is found desirable to employ three baths of average variation instrengths running from 45 to 40 Baum, the variation in climaticconditions determining the strengths to be used, practice showing thatin warm weather it is often preferable to start at 48 Baum while incolder weather to drop to 36 Baum. Any weak points in the etching may befurther developed by local etching by any of the well known methods.

After the plate has been satisfactorily etched the action of the mordantis stopped by the application of a potash bath which also serves tosoften the gelatin resist so that it can be brushed from the plate.

It will readily be understood that in the carbon process when the plateis put through the etching baths, the mordant penetrates the thinnestparts of the gelatin resist first, and therefore etches the plate mostunder these parts. \Vhere the resist was thickest corresponding to thehi h lights of the positive, the mordant has the least effect on theplate and the etching is the slightest. The effect of the etching willbe that where the high lights appeared on the positive the cells formedwill be comparatively shallow while in those parts where the positivewas dense the cells formed will be correspondingly deep. As the etchingis controlled from a true photographic negative of the grain to bereproduced, the varying depth of the cells so formed are such as will've a faithful reproduction of the pro er s ades.

The plate so prepared is rea y for the final operation 0 reproducing thegraining of the wood roduced thereon. The operation of repro uction isas follows;

The plate is coated with a stain of the same color as the darkest linesor pores desired of the grain to be reproduced. This is accomplished bysubmerging the plate, or in the case of a cylinder, revolving saidcylinder in a. bath of stain. However, the stain may be applied in anyother manner in the present process without departing from the spirit ofthe invention. After the plate has received the coat of stain a wiper ordoctor blade is brought against the surface of the plate and drawnacross the surface so that all the surface stain will be wiped off,leaving a deposit of the stain in all of the cells made by the etchingprocess.

Having wiped the surface of the plate with a doctor blade or wiper, asoft roller is rolled over the surface of the plate. The roller picks upthe stain in the various depth cells, which variation in depth of thecells, controls the masses of stain, and will govern the variation incolor in a reproduction of the grain.

Having thus picked up on the roller the stain from the cells of theplate or cylinder, said roller is rolled over the part or article to begrained, said part having been previously painted or enameled a groundcolor, such as required for the grain to be reproduced.

When the soft roll ,which has picked up the stain from the cells of theplate or cylinder passes over the article to be grained the smalhmassesof pigment picked from the cells will be merged. All lines of unionbetween the masses will be obliterated and all traces of the smalletched areas or cells of the etched plate will be destroyed. The varyingmasses of pigment on the roll due to the varying depth of the cells onthe etched plate will still prevail to control the varying shades to bereproduced.

The stain thus transferred from the roller to the part or article thatis to be grained will give a resultant reproduction which is an exactfacsimile of the original board photographed.

Of course, it is to be understood that the color of the stains andground colors depend entirely upon, and is varied according to, the woodor finish to be reproduced. After the stain has been transferred fromthe roller to the article which is to bear the reproduction it isdesirable, in order to give a more natural appearance, to brush over thegrained surface with a soft blending brush. This blending operation,however, is not necessary under all conditions and may be dispensedwith, without departing frdm the spirit of the present process.

What is claimed is 1. The process of reproducing the grain of wood on asolid surface, which consists in producing a photographic negative ofthe wood to be simulated; producing from produced by the VB-117mg withthe shade toqi e gfilced an in depth arranged to simulate the grainmg ofthe original material filling the plate with coloring matter;withdrawing the coloring matter from the recesses of the grained plate bmeans of an elastic roller to which the co oring matter adheres;transferring the coloring matter from the elastic roller to the'sur faceto be grained and merging the masses one into the other so as toobliterate the lines of union.

2. The process of reproducing the grain of wood on a solid surface whlchconsists in staining the iece of wood to be simulated to accentuate t egrain thereof; producing a photographic negative of the wood soprepared; producing from the negative a grained plate, the recessesproduced by the graining varying in depth with the shade to be producedand arranged to simulate the graining of the original material; fillingthe plate with coloring matter; with drawing the colorin matter from there ceases of the graine plate by means of an elastic roller to which thecoloring matter adheres; transferring the coloring matter from theelastic roller to the surface to be grained and merging the masses oneinto the other so as to obliterate the lines of union.

3. The process of reproducing the grain of woog on a solitll1 surfacewhich consist; in pro uclng a otograp 1c 11 ative o the wood to be siinulated; produ h mg from the negative a grained plate, the recessesproduced by the graining varyin in depth with the shade to be producer?and arranged to simulate the graining of the the negative a grainedplate, the

original material; filling the plate with coloring matter' withdrawinthe colorin matter from t e recesses o the graine plate by means of anelastic roller to which the coloring matter adheres; transfe-rrin thecolorin matter from the elastic ro er to the sur ace to be grained andmerging the 'of an elastic roller to whic masses one into the other soas to obliterate the lines of union; and blending the masses of pi ent-with each other and with the surroun ing shades.

4. The process of reproducing the grain of wood on a solid surface,WhlOh consists in staining the iece of wood to Mmulated to accentuate te grain thereof; producing a phot raphic negative of the wood so prepareproducing from the ne tive a grained plate, the recesses produce by thegraining varyin in depth with the shade to be reprodu and arranged tosimulate the graining of the original material ;'filling the plate withcoloring matter; withdrawing the coloring matter from the recesses ofthe grained plate by means of an elastic roller to which the coloringmatter adheres; transferring the coloring matter from the elastic rollerto the surface to be rained -and mergin the masses one into t e other soas to ob iterate the lines of union; and blendin the masses of pigmentwith each other an with the surrounding shades.

5. The process of reproducin the grain of wood on a solid surface whichconsists in producing a photographic negative of the wood to besimulated; producing from the negative a grained plate, the recessesproduced by the ainin varyin in depth with the shade to e pro need anarranged to simulate the graimng of the ori inal material; filling theplate with coloring matter; withdrawin the colorin matter from therecesses of t e grained late by means the coloring matter adheres;coating the article to be grained with a color corresponding to theground color of the wood whose grain is to be simulated; transferringthe colorin matter from the elastic roller to the coate surface to begrained and mer the masses one into the other so as to obfiiterate thelines of union. 7

In testimony whereof I aflix mgfilfltum,

JAMES P. BY.

the negative a grained plate, the recesses produced by the ainin varyinin depth with the shade to e pr uced an arranged to simulate the grainmgof the original material filling the plate with coloring matter;withdrawing the coloring matter from the recesses of the grained plate bmeans of an elastic roller to which the co oring matter adheres;transferring the coloring matter from the elastic roller to the surfaceto be grained and merging the masses one into the other so as toobliterate the lines of union.

2. The process of reproducing the grain of wood on a solid surface whlchconsists in staining the iece of wood to be simulated to accentuate t egrain thereof; producing a photographic negative of the wood soprepared; producing from the negative a grained plate, the recessesproduced by the graining varying in depth with the shade to be producedand arranged to simulate the graining of the original material; fillingthe plate with coloring matter; Withdrawing the coloring matter from therecesses of the grained plate by means of an elastic roller to which thecoloring matter adheres; transferring the coloring matter from theelastic roller to the surface to be grained and merging the masses oneinto the other so as to obliterate the lines of union.

3. The process of reproducin the grain of wood on a solid surface whichconsists in producing a photographic negative of the wood to besimulated; producing from the negative a grained plate, the recessesproduced by the graining varyin in depth with the shade to be produceand arranged to simulate the graining of the original material fillingthe plate with coloring matter; withdrawin the colorin matter from therecesses o the graine plate by means of an elastic roller to which thecoloring matter adheres; transfe rrin the coloring matter from theelastic ro or to the surface to be grained and merging the of an elasticroller to whic masses one into the other so as to obliterate the linesof union; and blending the masses of pi ent with each other and with thesurroun ing shades.

4. The process of reproducing the gram of wood on a solid surface, whichconsists in staining the iece of wood to belimulated to accentuate t egrain thereof; producing a phot raphic negative of the wood so prepareproducing from the ne ative a grained plate, the recesses produce by thegraining varyin in depth with the shade to be reprodu and arranged tosimulate the graining of the original material; filling the plate withcoloring matter; withdrawing the coloring matter from the recesses ofthe grained plate by means of an elastic roller to which the coloringmatter adheres; transferring the coloring matter from the elastic rollerto the surface to be rained and mergin the masses one into t e other soas to ob iterate the lines of union; and blendin the masses of pigmentwith each other an with the surrounding shades.

5. The process of reproducing the grain of wood on a solid surface whichconsists in producing a photographic negative of the wood to besimulated; producing from the negative a grained plate, the recessesproduced by the ainin varyin in depth with the shade to e ro need anarranged to simulate the graimng of the original material; filling theplate with coloring matter; withdrawingl the colorin matter from therecesses of t e grained late by means the coloring matter adheres;coating the article to be grained with a color corresponding to theground color of the wood whose grain is.

to be simulated; transferring the colorin matter from the elastic rollerto the coate surface to be grained and margin the masses one into theother so as to ob iterate the lines of union.

In testimony whereof I aflix my si ature, JAMES P. HE

DISCLAIMER 1,548,465.-James P. H emy, Dayton, Ohio.Pxooassronmllnraonuonox or Woon GRAINS. Patent dated Au t 4, 1925.Disclaimer filed August 8, 1941, by the assignee, Omfmd arm'ehC'orpomtion. Hereby enters a disclaimer to claims 1, 2, and 5 of saidpatent.

[0715M Gazette September 2, 1941.]

DISCLAIMER 1,548,&65.--James P. H enry, Dayton, Ohio. PnocnsszonmRmonUonoN or Woon Gums. Patent dated AW 4, 1925. Disclaimer filedAugust 8, 1941, by the assignee, Oxford a'rm'ah Uorporation. Herebyenters a disclaimer to claims 1, 2, and 5 of said patent.

[Ofim'al Gazette September 5, 1941.]

